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Saudis Picking Fight With Iran

A lawmaker said the bellicose rhetoric and hostile moves by Saudi leaders against Iran and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah indicate that the oil kingdom is pursuing a more confrontational approach.

Jalil Rahimi told ICANA on Tuesday that the aggressive Saudi behavior is being actively encouraged by US President Donald Trump who has adopted a hard-line approach to Iran.

“Tehran and Riyadh can solve their problems through dialogue … Saudis should not walk into the traps laid by outside powers,” he said.

Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia are at an all-time high, after the Saudi-led military coalition attacking Yemen announced last week it could retaliate against Iran for a failed Yemeni attack on the Riyadh airport it claimed was carried out with Iranian missiles.

Iran has denied the allegation that it has supplied the missile to Yemen’s Houthi fighters, denouncing the Saudi threat as “destructive and provocative”.

In another development, Lebanese Premier Saad Hariri announced in Riyadh last week he was stepping down.

In remarks that raised concerns about the stability of Lebanon, Hariri blamed Iran and Hezbollah for his surprise resignation.

Recent developments indicate the Saudis want to instigate a clash between Israel and Hezbollah while dragging the US into the conflict with Iran.